Senate Bill S9116

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9116
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 4, 2026
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HARCKHAM -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Racing, Gaming and  Wager-
   ing
 
 AN  ACT  to  amend the tax law and the state finance law, in relation to
   establishing an instant lottery scratch-off game to fund  scholarships
   for veterans
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 1604 of the tax law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision d to read as follows:
   D.  NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THE DIVISION
 SHALL ESTABLISH AN INSTANT LOTTERY SCRATCH-OFF GAME  DESIGNATED  AS  THE
 VETERANS'  BENEFIT  GAME,  THE PROCEEDS OF WHICH SHALL BE APPLIED EXCLU-
 SIVELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR  VETERANS  PURSUANT
 TO  SECTION  SIX  HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE-A OF THE EDUCATION LAW. THE TICKETS
 FOR THE INSTANT LOTTERY GAME CREATED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION  SHALL
 CLEARLY  STATE THAT THE PROFITS DERIVED FROM SUCH GAME ARE USED TO BENE-
 FIT VETERANS  IN  THE  STATE.  THE  DIVISION  MAY  ESTABLISH  ADDITIONAL
 SCRATCH-OFF  GAMES  FOR  THE PURPOSES OF THIS SUBDIVISION ONE YEAR AFTER
 THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   § 2. The state finance law is amended by adding a new section 99-uu to
 read as follows:
   § 99-UU. VETERANS' EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP FUND.  1. THERE IS HEREBY
 ESTABLISHED IN THE JOINT CUSTODY OF THE COMMISSIONER OF STATE  EDUCATION
 DEPARTMENT  AND THE STATE COMPTROLLER, A SPECIAL FUND TO BE KNOWN AS THE
 "VETERANS' EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP FUND".
   2. SUCH FUND SHALL CONSIST OF ALL REVENUES RECEIVED FROM THE VETERANS'
 BENEFIT GAME ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION SIXTEEN HUNDRED FOUR OF THE
 TAX LAW, ALL REVENUES RECEIVED PURSUANT TO APPROPRIATIONS BY THE  LEGIS-
 LATURE,  AND  ALL  MONEYS  APPROPRIATED, CREDITED OR TRANSFERRED THERETO
 FROM ANY OTHER FUND OR SOURCE PURSUANT TO LAW.
   3. THE MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE  NEW  YORK
 STATE  HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD14669-01-6
              

 S. 9116                             2
 
 THE VETERANS TUITION AWARDS PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION  SIX
 HUNDRED SIXTY-NINE-A OF THE EDUCATION LAW.
   4.  THE  MONIES OF THE FUND SHALL BE PAID OUT ON THE AUDIT AND WARRANT
 OF THE STATE COMPTROLLER ON VOUCHERS CERTIFIED OR APPROVED  BY  THE  NEW
 YORK  STATE  HIGHER  EDUCATION SERVICES CORPORATION, OR BY AN OFFICER OR
 EMPLOYEE OF THE OFFICE OF  NEW  YORK  STATE  HIGHER  EDUCATION  SERVICES
 CORPORATION DESIGNATED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF SUCH CORPORATION.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.